If you've done any research on hoodia supplements for weight loss, you've no doubt come across hoodia tincture. You may wonder what is it and how does it compare to traditional hoodia diet pills? And most importantly, how effective is hoodia tincture?

Hoodia tincture is also known as hoodia liquid, or liquid hoodia extract. It is also referred to as an elixir. Regardless of the name, they are all one in the same. They are a liquid form of hoodia. The idea behind a tincture is that capsules contain other unnecessary parts of the hoodia gordonii plant such as the skin, fiber, and even the roots in some cases. These parts just take up more room in the capsule and dilute the product.

To eliminate those parts, hoodia tincture is created by soaking the plant, or the powdered form of the plant, in a water and alcohol solution. The solution absorbs the active ingredients in the plant so that all you are left with is a hoodia liquid product with nothing but the active ingredients.

There are also nonalcoholic-based tinctures which are made using a water and glycerin (or vinegar) solution. These are the most popular types of tinctures and are easier on the taste buds since they don't contain alcohol. You can tell if the hoodia tincture is nonalcoholic-based by reading the label. It will say "nonalcoholic" or you'll see the words, vinegar or glycerin (glycerol), in the "other ingredients" part of the label.

If you read the label on a hoodia tincture product, you may also see a ratio such as "20:1" or "10:1" This represents the number of parts it took to make one part of the extract. In the case of "20:1", that means it took 20g of the hoodia plant to make 1g of the liquid hoodia extract.

Some believe that hoodia tincture is more potent than a capsule because it is absorbed directly into the bloodstream when it is applied directly under the tongue. In theory, you will feel the appetite suppressant qualities of hoodia gordonii much quicker than traditional diet pills because your body doesn't have to digest anything.

The potency and effectiveness of any hoodia tincture depends on how it was made. Most hoodia liquid products are made by soaking the powdered form of the hoodia gordonii plant (as opposed to the actual plant itself). However, not all powders are created equal. There is whole plant powder and concentrated "core" powder.

Whole plant powder is made by grinding the entire plant into a powder. This type of powder is the cheapest to produce but is also the least effective because it contains parts of the plant that don't contain the active ingredient of the plant that suppresses appetite. Essentially, you get a lot of useless fillers. Concentrated core powder is made by grinding up only the peeled stems of the plant. The active ingredient is only found in the center of the stems. This type of powder is the most expensive to produce but is also the most effective because it contains no fillers. Hoodia tinctures that are made using the concentrated core powder are the most effective.

Liquid hoodia extracts are beneficial for people who have difficulty swallowing pills or who have digestive problems. With a hoodia liquid, you simply put several drops under your tongue or mix it with water.

If you decide that a hoodia tincture is best for you, I recommend you stick with the nonalcoholic extracts as they are much easier to take. Also, be sure that the hoodia liquid that you are considering contains authentic hoodia gordonii and is made by using the concentrated core powder. Otherwise, your hoodia tincture may be nothing more than a useless liquid product!